In the Pit
by krissy7490
Summary: One-shot of what happened while John was in Hell. Alistair fills him in on what's happened to Sam and Dean. Some mild language so rated as such for that reason.


Here's my version of the events of what took place when John was in Hell. I hope you enjoy as this was oddly very cathartic to write!

Disclaimer: Supernatural isn't mine. John (very sadly) is also not mine.

In the Pit

The heat was unbearable. Pain shot through every nerve fiber in John Winchester's body. His throat raw from screaming for years at a time. This was Hell.

And yet he held on. Refusing to bow to his tormentor. Alistair would slice through his flesh achingly slow and taunt him with the offer of escape from the rack in exchange for his service of torture. John refused. Every time.

He was going to get out of here. He didn't know how, but he was. He would not break. His Marine Corps training was drilled deep into his psyche. Surrender was never an option. Failure was never an option. He would get out of this, one way or another. But not through his tormentor. He would escape on his own terms.

He clung to the knowledge that Sam and Dean were still up there fighting. Fighting the nightmares plaguing the world. Dean would never stop and Sam would never abandon his brother again. Not after what had happened at the hospital. John knew that a new bond had been forged between his sons the last time he saw them. They would fight together.

Alistair came into the torture chamber. His black eyes studying John's body, looking for new spots to poke and prod, new ways to try and break John down. Normally his grotesque demon face was set determined, concentrating on the task at hand.

Not today.

Today Alistair's deformed lips were twisted in an evil smile. He stood before John and looked down on his restrained body.

"Today is a good day, John Winchester," Alistair hissed with a slight chuckle.

John refused to meet the demon's gaze. This was something new. He wasn't sure of what this new game was, but he refused to be drawn into it.

"Today, Johnny, a new deal was made. Today someone made a deal. Soon, I'm going to be getting a brand new toy to play with. You, I'm afraid, are going to be replaced by something newer, _weaker_, more pitiful than yourself."

"Whatever, demon," John managed to wheeze out. He didn't care, although he felt a pang of sadness that some poor soul was going to be tormented the same way he was, but he couldn't help that.

Alistair began to laugh, a low, deep, horrible laugh the made John's stomach twist with fear.

"Johnny Johnny Johnny! You poor naive man! Don't you want to hear the name of my new toy? I think you may find it… familiar…"

There was something in Alistair's voice that began to fill John with dread. Something was wrong. This was not how these sessions normally went. And Alistair would not be telling him this unless he knew it was something that would be painful for John to hear. He forced himself to meet Alistair's gaze with a steely glare.

"Alright, demon. I'll bite. Who's the new toy?"

Alistair leaned in close to John's ear, the stench of blood and rotting flesh on his breath as he whispered the name into his ear.

"Dean Winchester."

John felt his stomach lurch. His body went ridged and his breath caught in his throat. His mind quickly reminded him he couldn't react. Demons lie. John quickly composed himself and glared at Alistair.

"You lie," John growled.

Alistair laughed gleefully, already taking pleasure in John's reaction.

"Now, Johnny, why would I lie about something like that? Your little boy decided to make a deal and, well, we just couldn't pass that up! Wanna see what happened? I think you'll enjoy it!"

Before John could respond he found himself standing next to Alistair in an abandoned town at the dead of night. He heard a shout and saw Dean and Bobby quickly hurrying towards something. When looked in the other direction he saw an injured Sam limping towards them.

"Sammy got into a little fight, but he did a good job! It's just too bad he wasn't paying attention…" Alistair's voice trailed off.

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a young man came up behind Sam. Dean yelled a warning, but it was too late. The young man drove the knife into Sam's back and twisted it into his flesh. Sam let out a gasp of pain and collapsed to his knees. Dean screamed Sam's name and charged towards him at full speed. The assailant took off with Bobby right behind him. Dean caught Sam in his arms. He began reassuring Sam that everything was going to be fine, but John could see the blood trickle from Sam's back and the look on Dean's face showed that the young man knew that Sam was gravely injured. John felt tears pouring down his face, helpless to go to his sons and help. He then saw Sam take one last breath and go limp. Dean's face filled with grief as he screamed Dean's name.

"Aw, such a touching scene," Alistair's voice jarring John from the moment. "Let's move on."

Before John could say anything he saw Dean sitting by Sam's body. Tears ran down his face as he talked to Sam about when they were young and how he had now failed him and their father. John couldn't control himself and wept bitterly as he listened to Dean's words. He desperately wanted to tell Dean it would OK, but he couldn't.

The scene shifted again. They were now at a crossroads and a newly determined, yet grief-stricken Dean stood at the center, calling for the crossroads demon to appear. And she did. And the deal was made.

John's heart shattered as he watched his desperate son make the deal that would doom him to Hell. He closed his eyes, the sight to painful to watch. He had prayed his sons would never have to experience Hell, but it was obvious that his prays went unheard.

Alistair laughed, obviously pleased at John's reaction.

"Now, Johnny, don't look so glum! This gets you off the hook! Once Deano's here to play with I won't need you anymore. Although…" Alistair thought for a moment. "It would be fun to slice Dean limb to limb with you watching. Would you like that, Johnny? Do you want to watch me torture your little boy? Watch me make him scream over and over? Begging me to stop? Would you like that?"

John's eyes flashed opened and he lurched towards Alistair with a growl, but found himself back and bound to the rack.

"_**I will destroy you**_," John snarled with fury.

"Oh, not yet! There's more! Oh, yes, we have big plans for your Deano! Just like with Sammy! You see, you decided to be all tough and Mr. Marine Tough Guy by not breaking and just giving in to my offer. Now, that just isn't working with our plans. You have to work with us, Johnny! You shouldn't go pissing off your demon captor by not going with the plan! But, then, your little boy decided to make a deal and then a whole new opportunity presented itself! After all, that kid of yours seems to hate himself more than anything! Look at how willing he was to throw his life away for his little bro. All because he wanted to please his _daddy_. Now we get to switch up the game plan!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" John growled.

Alistair began slowly walking around the table, drumming his long, twisted fingers on its surface as he went.

"There's a plan, Johnny. A nice, neat little plan that has been in the making for over a millennium! They're called seals and those damn pesky little things are what keeps my master locked away down here. They're the only things keeping _**us**_ away from taking over your pretty little earth. But if those seals are broken… why, then we can all come up and play! We can all be _one… big… happy… __**family**_."

Alistair stopped and leaned close to John's face.

"Dean's going to get it all started for us! It was going to be you, but you wouldn't play. But Dean will. I know how to break him. I'll get him to break the first seal and then we'll see it all begin!"

John's heart thundered in his chest. He swallowed hard, his mouth dry.

"And what is the first seal?"

The demon grinned wickedly.

_"And it is written that the first seal shall be broken when a righteous man sheds blood in hell. As he breaks, so shall it break."_

John trembled at his words, anguish tearing through him.

"No! Don't you do this to him! Don't you do it you fucking demon piece of shit!!!"

Alistair laughed and walked away, leaving John to agonize over what he had just learned.

***

The demons should learn not to underestimate John Winchester.

As soon as the devil's gate was opened John was freed from his bonds. He wasted no time following the other spirits and demons out of the gate and into the cool night air of earth. He saw he was in an old cemetery. He saw Bobby and Ellen, desperately fighting to close the gate. He saw Sam pinned up against a tree, helpless. And then he saw Dean.

Dean was pinned up against a tombstone. He was staring at the Yellow-Eyed Demon talking to Dean, the vicious words obviously affecting him. And then he saw the demon point the Colt at his son.

Fuck that.

John walked over and wrapped his arms around the demon; pulling the black smoke free from the body it was possessing. He wrestled the demon for a moment before he was thrown to the side, giving the demon smoke a chance to return into the host. For a moment, John panicked.

There was no need to.

He looked to see Dean calmly aiming the Colt at the Yellow-Eyed Demon. The demon stared back, obviously stunned. His face remained stunned as Dean pulled the trigger and the bullet penetrated the host's flesh. The body crackled and flashed as if being jolted with electricity and collapsed to the ground.

Dean did it. He had destroyed the monster that had murdered Mary.

John slowly rose to his feet, amazed at the silence and peace of the cemetery. He then looked up and saw Dean staring at him, stunned.

He slowly went over and touched Dean's shoulder. There was so much he wanted to tell him. Warn him about. But he couldn't bring himself to speak. He had missed his sons more than anything and all he wanted was to look at them one last time. Give them one last smile that they could treasure. Let them know with that smile that he loved them more than life itself and that he was proud of them both. A tear trickled down his cheek, knowing that he had to go. He had to leave his boys to fight on their own.

He walked away and disappeared into the night.

***

John Winchester would not let his sons fight alone. If he couldn't be there, then he would send someone who could.

He had been overjoyed at being reunited with Mary after all these long years. But he couldn't celebrate with her. Not yet. He had to take care of something first.

He made his way over to one of the celestial beings that was there. The angel's wings were neatly tucked behind him as he observed the others around him. He looked at John when he approached.

"What's your name?" John asked.

The angel looked at him in surprise, but answered.

"I am Castiel."

"Castiel, I need your help. I need you to help rescue my son Dean from Hell."


End file.
